Governor Sarwar announces telemedicine centres in three provinces

LAHORE :Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has made telephonic contacts with governors of Balochistan, KP, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has announced establishing corona telemedicine centre in these three provinces and AJK.

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar telephoned AJK President Masood Ahmed Khan, Balochistan Governor Justice (R) Amanullah Khan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Shah Farman, and GB Governor Raja Jalal Hussain, and apprised them of setting up of corona telemedicine helpline centres in Punjab as well as medical and awareness facilities being provided to people from these centres.

During his telephonic conversation, Sarwar said that corona telemedicine centre proved very effective in Punjab and around 70,000 individuals have so far taken medical advice/guidance from these centres.

The telemedicine centres, where doctors are available for their guidance round-the-clock, also reduced public rush substantially in hospitals; that is why, we have announced that after Punjab, corona telemedicine centres will be established in Balochistan, KP, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK, while our doctors will also impart free training to staff of telemedicine centres in all the provinces and AJK. We have also started work on emergent basis to set up corona telemedicine centres in these provinces.

UVAS: The Chancellor/Governor Punjab Ch Muhammad Sarwar inaugurated a new state-of-the-art Biosafety Level-3 ‘Laboratory for Emerging Pathogens’ at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) here Tuesday. UVAS Department of Microbiology in collaboration with Pirbright Institute UK, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council UK and Zoonosis and Emerging Livestock Systems, UK established the lab for research on and diagnosis of emerging pathogens, including coronavirus. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar said testing of Covid-19 was the first and foremost requirement to understand its spread, epidemiology and treatment. Since Covid-19 was a novel virus, its testing facility must fulfill all the scientific guidelines of safety, he stressed.

The governor appreciated the UVAS vice-chancellor and his team for establishing the much-needed laboratory. He said he was glad to see VCs of all universities to play the true leadership role in the time of coronavirus crisis. He assured the UVAS of his full support for enhancing the scope of the laboratory. He also spoke about the importance of tele-medicine and its benefits for health experts and the general public. He said Covid-19 was a big challenge and we would meet this challenge with collective efforts.

UVAS VC Prof Dr Nasim Ahmad said ever since, the closure of institutions due to the coronavirus pandemic, the university had been busy in developing hybrid system of teaching and learning based on a combination of online and offline communication with the students. He said the UVAS initiated tele-veterinary services to provide clinical guidance to pet and other animal owners. He said the BSL-3 would conduct training and research in the area of emerging pathogens under one health.

“This laboratory is one of its kind equipped with modern gadgets and will also conduct diagnosis of coronavirus. With the emerging Covid-19 pandemic, UVAS established the lab on fast-track basis, he added.